PONDA: Tempers flared at the Marcaim farmers’ meet held on Monday, when the angry farmers gheraoed the three committee members for failing to submit an audited statement of accounts. The meeting lasted three hours, and ended with the farmers demanding that the Mamlatdar launch a probe into the accounts.
The meeting was called by the Ponda Mamlatdar to elect a new committee, as the old committee was accused of misappropriation of funds. The Mamlatdar had earlier dissolved the old committee.
The farmers unanimously resolved that the three existing committee members should furnish an audited statement of accounts for the past six years, before electing a new committee for the Bar Amre Khajan Tenant Association.
According to Premanand Gaude, when the new committee took charge of the association six years ago, there was a balance of at least Rs one crore left in the accounts. “Every year, there is an auction of sluice gates and the income for six years was expected to run into crores of rupees. Howeverm, we are not satisfied with the accounts provided by the committee members, all the farmers want audited statements of the accounts and the bank balance amount, to see for ourselves the income and expenditure incurred,” he explained.
The meeting was presided by Avval Karkun (AK) Ramakant Naik who was present on behalf of the Ponda Mamlatdar.
The farmers grilled the AK as well as the three member-committe, as they failed to submit audited accounts. The committee denied being involved in a scam, and said that all books of accounts and audited statements were already handed over to the Mamlatdar’s office.
The farmers however stood their ground and refused to elect a new
committee. They then walked out of the meeting to meet the Mamlatdar with their demand.
